Strange Currency

Strange Currency airs six nights a week on KMUW, bringing you new releases, old favorites and forgotten classics. We spotlight local and regional acts, including guests on Currency Exchange, our live in-the-studio program recorded at the KMUW studios.

Jedd Beaudoin invites you to listen 8 to 10pm Monday through Saturday as he opens up his personal music vault and lets you in.

For the third year in row, KMUW 89.1 FM and its music shows Global Village and Strange Currency are winners in the annual Public Radio Exchange (PRX) Zeitfunk Awards. KMUW was Number Two in the category of Most Licensed Station, edging out stations in New York, Chicago, and other major markets.

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Music

11:45 pm

Tue December 23, 2014

Music hosts Jedd Beaudoin, Chris Heim, Carla Eckels and Bill Pearce run down the best in music for 2014 - including selections for world, rock, local music, jazz, R&B, gospel, blues, rockumentaries and books about music.

Music

11:00 pm

Tue December 23, 2014

The History of Rock ‘n’ Roll in Ten Songs by Greil Marcus (Yale University Press)

Greil Marcus is one of our greatest music and cultural critics—maybe even the greatest. In this latest volume he travels the distance between Etta James and Joy Division, Cyndi Lauper, Beyoncé and more for a poetic, thoughtful and incredibly well-paced read.

The Dylanologists: Adventures in the Land of Bob by David Kinney (Simon & Schuster)

Mon December 15, 2014

Tuesday, December 16: Listen for selections from Barrett, the 1970 album from former Pink Floyd frontman Syd Barrett. It was Barrett’s second and final solo recording and completed with the help of his former bandmates David Gilmour and Richard Wright. After the release of the album the gifted songwriter retired from music and spent the remainder of his life in Cambridge, England where he grew up, mostly painting and largely living in obscurity and poor health.

Music

11:36 am

Mon December 8, 2014

Tuesday, December 9: Released in 1969 Ummagumma is one of Pink Floyd’s most remarkable albums. One half of the album was recorded live in concert and features staples of the group’s live show from that time, the other half is marked by unusual compositions intended to give each member of the band a voice in the songwriting process. Fans and critics continue to argue about the artistic merits of the studio pieces, though the live recordings are fine examples of a band that had earned a reputation for stellar live shows.

Music

9:51 am

Mon December 1, 2014

Tuesday, December 2: Listen for music from singer-songwriter Christian Lee Hutson’s latest release, Yeah OK, I Know. The record spotlights Hutson’s remarkably smart and heartfelt songs. Although listeners will find parallels between Hutson and earlier songwriters he is in a class by himself among contemporary singer-songwriters. We’ll also hear from In Real Time, the latest album from Minneapolis, Minnesota singer-songwriter Chris Koza.

Music

9:09 am

Tue November 25, 2014

Tuesday, November 25: Sweep The Leg Johnny and Mustangs and Madras were two bands from the last decade that combined elements of punk rock, hardcore along with the sounds of the saxophone. We’ll hear selections from both those acts on this episode of Strange Currency.

Music

9:19 am

Mon November 17, 2014

Tuesday, November 18: Released in 1992, Wish was the ninth studio album from British band The Cure, we’ll hear from that release as well as from Burning From the Inside, the 1983 release from influential British gothic rock band Bauhaus.

Music

8:44 am

Fri October 24, 2014

Monday, October 27: Based in Bloomington, Indiana Lily and Madeleine are sisters in their late teens whose sophisticated sound recalls bands such as Arcade Fire and Fleet Foxes as well as Swedish sister act First Aid Kit. We’ll hear selections from Fumes, the brand new release by Lily and Madeleine as well as music from Jacksonville, Florida’s psychedelic rock outfit Sunbears. We'll also remember bass legend Jack Bruce, who died Saturday.